Holsters for side arm weapons are frequently worn by both military and law enforcement personnel and are traditionally suspended from the duty belt of the wearer. The most common method of suspending a holster from a belt is to incorporate a holster belt loop assembly as a permanent part of the holster. The wearer""s belt is then passed through the belt loop assembly, thus allowing the holster to hang from the belt.
It is of utmost importance for the holster wearer to be able to precisely and fixedly position the holster along the belt. Such precise placement allows the wearer to position the holster in the best possible location for a smooth and rapid removal of the weapon should circumstances require.
Heretofore, a holster with a holster belt loop assembly was locked into position along the belt either by friction between the belt and the belt loop or by tightening a screw or screws at the base of the belt loop assembly. The screws, which passed through the belt loop assembly, were secured by a nut; and upon tightening the screws, the sides of the belt loop assembly were compressed against the belt. This compressive force holds the holster in position along the belt. Unfortunately, positioning the holster in this manner can result in damage to the belt, since the threads of the screws often come into direct contact with the belt. Damage to the duty belt is unacceptable. Over time, damage to the belt caused by the screws could result in the failure of the holster to stay fixed along the wearer""s belt and any movement in the position of the holster may inhibit the wearer""s ability remove the weapon from the holster.
Upon examination of the foregoing state of the prior art holster, we have invented a molded belt loop assembly, which includes an internal shelf and tapered belt loop configuration which eliminates the foregoing problems. As with prior art holsters, the inventive belt loop assembly is made a permanent part of the holster. The inventive belt loop assembly allows the wearer to position and fix the belt loop assembly along the duty belt with greater precision while reducing the likelihood of damaging the belt.
In the inventive belt loop assembly, the duty belt passes through the belt loop opening and rests upon a ridge or shelf, which extends upward from the base of the belt loop opening. The holster is secured into position along the belt by one or more, but preferably, a pair of belt loop tightening screws which, when tightened, exert a force upon two integral belt loop fingers, which are forced inward against the belt. These belt loop fingers exert a compressive force upon the belt and thus secure the holster to the belt at the desired position. The aforementioned ridge or shelf provides a stable platform upon which the belt can rest and keeps the belt above the belt loop screws, to help prevent their contact with the belt.
To aid in fixing the position of the holster along the belt, the belt loop opening is tapered inwardly against the belt at two locations. First, the belt loop opening is tapered from its outside edges towards its center. The belt loop opening also includes a taper on one side of the upper interior portion of the opening. Both tapers act to wedge the belt into the belt loop opening. Together, the tapers of the belt loop opening and the belt loop fingers securely fix the holster along the belt while reducing the danger of damaging the belt from contact with the belt loop screws.
These and other features provide an improved molded belt loop holster.